Jennifer Walsh · October 23, 2026
I am not a financial advisor or tax professional. Everything here is educational content based on my own experience managing my accounts and on publicly available IRS and Federal Student Aid rules — not personalized financial advice. Confirm details on irs.gov and studentaid.gov, or with a qualified tax professional, before making decisions for your family. … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
I am not a financial advisor or tax professional. Everything here is educational content based on my own experience and publicly available IRS rules — not personalized financial advice. Always confirm details on irs.gov or with a qualified tax professional before making decisions for your family. You’ve already decided you want to open a custodial … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
Can grandparents open a Roth IRA for a grandchild? In most cases, yes — and it may be one of the most powerful financial gifts you can give. Most major brokerages allow a grandparent to serve as custodian on a custodial Roth IRA for a minor grandchild. However, a handful of brokerages still restrict custodianship … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
A common question I see asked in personal finance communities goes something like this: “My kid just started college and has a part-time job — can they open a Roth IRA?” The answer is almost always yes, and the follow-up question — which are the best Roth IRA accounts for college students — is exactly … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
Every few weeks I see the same question surface in personal finance forums: “How do I set up a Roth IRA for my adult child?” It is usually asked by a parent who just watched their kid graduate, land a first real job, and promptly spend every dollar on rent and avocado toast. The instinct … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
One of the most common questions I see asked in self-directed investor forums goes something like this: “Can I pay my kid for doing chores so they have earned income to fund a Roth IRA?” I completely understand the instinct. The Roth IRA is one of the most powerful tax-sheltering tools available, and wanting to … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
If you bank with Chase and hoped to open your child a Chase custodial Roth IRA, I have to be straight with you right from the start: you cannot do that today. Chase / J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does not offer a custodial Roth IRA for minors. I know that is not the answer you … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
Here is the mistake I see mentioned constantly in every parenting-and-money forum I follow: someone opens a custodial Roth IRA for their kid, feels great about it, and then does absolutely nothing with the money inside. It just sits there — in the brokerage’s default settlement fund or money market account — earning somewhere between … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · October 10, 2026
A question I see asked constantly in investing communities goes something like this: “Should I open a custodial account or a Roth IRA for my kid?” It sounds simple. However, the answer depends entirely on which of three very different accounts you are actually comparing — and most of the confusion comes from the fact … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · June 18, 2026
One of the most common questions I get is some version of this: “My kid earns money doing things around the house — can I pay them for that and then contribute to a Roth IRA for them?” It’s a genuinely important question, because the Roth IRA is an extraordinary wealth-building vehicle for young people, … Read more